Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-04-01
COMMUNICATED.
CLARKsvrLLE, TENN,

Dear Editor. Having spent several months
in what IL now designated the New South.
thought brief account Of this little city
would be OF some interest TO your many read
ers, 1t would hardly be just to compare the
busy, prosperous Clarksville to quiet Shop
herdstown. Yet, one cannot help noticing.
though he be the most casual observer, the
vast difference In the business habits OF the
two places. The population numbers about
ten thousand. the majority Of whom are Viz
ginians, or descendants OF Virginians. and
seem to have carried with them the old Vir-
ginia hospitality, which they do not fail to
show upon all occasions. More cordial peo-
pie II has never been my lot TO meet. not ex-
cepting the good people Of Jefferson.
The city is beautifully located on hill
overlooking the Cumberland river, which ID
navigable to the Ohio. into which 1t empties.
The principal product Of this section Of Ten
nessee Is tobacco. The amount OF tobacco
bought and sold at this market last season
WAS SO 900 hhds, averaging about sl25 per
hid. amounting to something over four mill
lions Of dollars. This amount OF money cir
culated in the community, flowing into every
channel of trade, gives employment 10 many
and enables the successful to accumulate the
| ''althy lucre" Tor a rainy day." Corn AMI
wheat are raised. but they are not considered
as profitable crops as tobacco.
The present crop (oi tobacco), which is now
in market, Is considered OF better quality
than the crops of former years, and from the
tobacco dealers, l learn u greater quantity
than last year has been raised. with a reduc-
ton in price, owing TO the over production In
foreign countries.
There UT five banks in the city and they
all do a paying business. from all the infor-
nation that can attain.
The mercantile men, both wholesale and
retail dealers. seem to be busy all the time.
and Judging from this TACT they must be proc
pering III business.
The public buildings are verv scarce. A
handsome Court house and u very fine To-
bacco Exchange are all they pretend To boast
oil, except jail, and as have not had occa-
sion TO visit that ediiice, can SAY nothing
about II. Several churches. costing over
$40, w apiece, certainly speaks well for those
VINO aided in building them.
The boom which seems To have taken hold
OF every town TIL ougnout the south. has not
forgotten ClarksyiIle. While the capitalists
of tue north nave not as yet found their way
here yet, surely IL is only question OF time
before they mad the richness, in iron ore, oi
the land in this county OF Montgomery. Land
can be purchased here, not over three miles
from railroad. for three dollars aud upwards
per acre, in some places the ore can be seen
ON the surface. The present boom agitated
by the business and moneyed men OF this
county has for it's aim the utilization Of this
ore, which Is found in such great abundance.
TO this end one hundred thousand dollars has
been raised.
Another company has just organized with
q capital OF seventy-five thousand dollars "
build large Hotel and Opera house CON-
| bined. SO you can see that the spirit Of i'm
provement has not passed over this section
OF Tennessee.
A more desirable winter climate could not
be found by the most an ious seekers after
mild climate. In this do not include in
yalids though this climate is better for in.
yalids than the climate of jefferson, yet 1t Is
not the most desirable that can be found.
Quite number Of days during January ana
February fire was unnecessary for the great
er part of the day. For the first hfteen days
of March the thermometer averaged ~ de-
grees / could not realize that it was March.
1t was more like your month OF June. Car
dens have been made for several weeks and
early vegetables are finding their way into
market.
The question may be asked, why the iron
ore, II It abounds in such quantities, has not
been utilized all these years? will say that
1t takes capital to manipulate furnace, and
the moneyed men here have been like the
moneyed men Of Shepherdstown. They were
waiting for something TO turn up. instead OF
turning 1t up themselves. Hence, this I'M
told wealth has been lying Dormant lii the
bowels of the earth waiting for man, Gods
noblest creation, to unearth 1t.
Any who doubt what have said. need only
to visit the beautiful city Of GAINESVILLE and
take short tour throughout this county to
verify the facts mentioned above.
sincerely trust that boom may strike
your town on the Potomac. and furnish TO
her citizens what they have 80 long waited
for-prosperity. j. ID. RENTcH'